Draft-rigging



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

No. 751,155r

P. L. ENGLEHARDT'.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1902.

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PATENTED FEB 2 1904 F. L. ENGLEHARDT.

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PATENT OFFICE.

DRAFT-RIGGING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,155, dated February 2, 1904. Application filed March 10 1902. Serial No. 97,399. (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Riggings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in draft-riggings; and it consists of a rectangular casing of peculiar shape having a hinged with a central partition retained in position when the hinged side of the casing is let down or removed by a single transverse bolt.

The object of my invention is to prevent the yoke forming part of the draft mechanism from bending or buckling when subjected to an undue compression strain caused by the breaking of either of the springs by transferring a part of said strain to the top and bottom walls of the casing in which the yoke snugly fits.

Another advantage obtained by my invention is that the draft mechanism can be readily removed for repairs by simply letting down the hinged side of the casing and removing the transverse bolt.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention relates may fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe in detail the arrangement and construction of my imimprovements, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken plan view, partly in section, of a draft-rigging embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on line 11 II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a broken detail perspective view of the casing forming part of the invention. Fig. 1 is a broken cross-section taken on line IV IV of Fig. 1. Fig. is a detail perspective view of the central stationary partition.

Similar reference-numerals denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

1 indicates the longitudinal sills of the car; 2, the subsills; 3, the end sill, and 4: the transverse supporting-stirrup.

5 indicates a cast-iron casing which is rectangular in cross-section, open at both ends, and secured to the subsills by bolts 6. The vertical walls of said casing are provided with a series of integral stops, comprising in this instance intermediate stops 7 and front and rear stops 8 and 9. It is also reinforced by front and rear vertical ribs 10 and longitudinal ribs 11, which extend inwardly from ribs 10 to the intermediate stops 7 The bottom or lower wall 12 of the casing is secured thereto by a hinge 13 and a pin 14, adapted to pass through registering ears 15 and 16 on the opposite side of the casing and lower wall from the hinge. Said pin is held in position by an integral head 17 and a spring-cotter 18. By removing the latter the pin may be withdrawn from the ears and access had to the interior of the casing for the placing or removal of the draft mechanism by letting down the bottom wall. As both sides of the bottom wall are secured to the casing, as above described, it is obvious that either side will act as a hinge, or the bottom wall may be removed entirely by withdrawing both pins, if desired. The top and bottom walls of the casing are shorter than the side walls and have central openings 19 20. They are also provided with pockets 21 22 to receive a snugly-fitting yoke 23, secured to the rear end of a draw-bar 24: by rivets 25. Said yoke is of sufiicient length to embrace the tandem-arranged springs 26 27 and their follower plates, comprising front and rear plates 28 29, arranged to bear against the front and rearstops 8 and 9, respectively, and a pair of central plates 30 and 31, arranged to bear against the opposite sides of a stationary central partition 32. The ends of the front and rear follower-plates are guided by the side walls of the casing and work in cavities 33 3A between the front and rear stops and the adjacent vertical ribs. These spaces are of sufficient width to permit the full compression of the springs before the follower-plates contact with the ribs 10.

The central stationary partition 32 consists of a solid casting secured in position between the intermediate stops 7 by a central transverse bolt 35, which also passes through the subsills and prevents the latter from spreading under pressure. Partition 32 is provided with top and bottom grooves 36, which allow the free longitudinal movement of plates 37, secured by rivets 38 to the upper and lower portions of the yoke and abut at their opposite ends against the central follower-plates. The heads of the rivets project into the openings 19 20, provided to permit their longitudinal movement with the yoke without contacting with the casing.

In the present invention the novelty resides in the casing and the central stationary partition, whereby buckling of the yoke and other damage to the draft mechanism is avoided in case one or both of the springs are accidentally broken. For instance, if the forward spring is broken from an impact the strain it sustained would immediately be transferred to the yoke, with the result that its parallel members would spread apart or buckle if not prevented by the top and bottom walls of the casing. Should both springs break, the forward follower-plate 28 would be forced against vertical ribs and prevent any further backward movement of the yoke and coupler.

By employing the stationary central partition the draft mechanism is reinforced at its weakest point and also prevents the sides of the casing from being sprung inwardly by tension on bolt until they bind against the intermediate follower-plates and prevent their proper movements. It will also be seen that the draft mechanism may be readily removed for repairs by letting down the bottom wall of the casing and removing bolt 35.

The operation is substantially as follows: When the draw-bar is pulled forward, followerplates 29 3O compress the springs against the follower-plates 28 31, which are held from forward movement by stops 8 and the stationary partition 32, while on an impact followerplates 28 31 compress the springs against follower-plates 29 30, held stationary by stops 9 and the stationary partition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a draft-rigging provided with a yoke having plates riveted to the central portion of its two longitudinal members, of a casing, pockets therein to receive the yoke, and central openings in said pockets, for the purpose described.

2. In a draft-rigging, a casing in which the draft mechanism is operatively secured, intermediate stops formed integral with the side walls of the casing, a partition secured between said stops, and upper and lower grooves formed in said partition for the purpose set forth and described.

3. A draft mechanism provided with oppositely-located subsills, a rectangular casing securely bolted to said subsills and adapted to operatively receive the draft mechanism, a bottom wall hinged to the casing, a central partition removably secured in the casing for retaining the draft mechanism, and a transverse bolt for securing the partition in the casing when the bottom wall is let down, substantially as described.

4:. In a draft-rigging, a casing in which the draft mechanism is operatively secured, consisting of integral top and side walls, stops located at the inner opposite ends of the latter, ribs adjacent to and parallel with said stops, intermediate stops, longitudinal ribs extending from the latter to the first-mentioned ribs, and a wall hinged to the lower side of the casing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. ENG'LEHARDT.

Witnesses:

H. C. RODGERS, G. Y. THORPE. 

